Abstract: A method of manufacturing a non-woven material uses a contoured honeycomb drum with an outer microporous surface, more particularly with a contoured outer surface, for the manufacture of contoured non-woven fibrous materials. The method can use spunbonded, melt blown, or electro-static spun techniques for depositing solidifying filaments on the microporous surface such that the non-woven material conforms to the contour of the drum. The drum facilitates continuous production of non-woven articles with three-dimensional shapes such as surgical masks or pleated air filters. Airflow through the drum can be controlled with an internal adjustable manifold with independent valves to obtain non-woven material articles of various configurations and properties. In addition, efficiency can be improved by including turning vanes. Vacuum or pressure can be applied.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a multi-layered web uses contoured honeycomb drums for the manufacture of non-woven webs used to make the multi-layered web. The method can use spunbonded, melt blown, or electro-static spun techniques for depositing solidifying filaments on outer collection surfaces of a multi-drum system. The multi-drum system may be employed to improve multi-layered web uniformity and the overall quality of the multi-layered web by presenting a single optimal collection surface for each independent web layer being produced.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a non-woven material using a contoured honeycomb drum with an outer microporous surface, more particularly with a contoured outer surface, for the manufacture of contoured non-woven fibrous materials. The method can use spunbond or melt blown techniques for depositing solidifying filaments on the microporous surface such that the non-woven material conforms to the contour of the drum, and then removing the non-woven material from the drum. The drum of the current invention facilitates continuous production of non-woven articles with three dimensional shapes such as surgical masks or pleated air filters.